Oil shut-off



J. E. HURN OIL SHUT-OFF Jan. 4, 1938.

Filed NOV. 25, 1936 Patented Jan. 4, 1938 1 2,104,519

oivireo STATES PATENT OFFICE on. snu'r-orr James E. Hum, La Porte, Ind, assignor to De Luxe Products Corporation, a corporation oi. Indiana Application November 25, 1936, Serial No. 112,817 '7 Claims. (01. 210-131) This invention relates to an oil shut-off, and bag which seats upon a flap in the mouth of said particularly to such a device in connection with bag, being seated upon shoulder l2 in the housthe operation of internal combustion engines. ing in and there secured by the cap II. The In the operation of such engines, and parbag may be completely closed at the top or a 5 ticularly the Dieseltype of engine, wherein liquid screen may be provided across the opening ll. 5 fuel is employed, the fuel oil frequently contains The structure shown in Fig. 5 comprises a water which adversely affects the activity of housing 20 into which the oil enters through the engine and is quite dangerous to the fuel opening 2| and by which it leaves through openpump. It is, therefore, important to remove the ing 22. Within the housing is a piston 23 seated water from the oil, and various means are proupon the annulus 24. The top of the piston is 10 vided for this purpose. The object of the presprovided with openings 25 through which 011 enent device is to automatically stop the flow of ters, and the base is covered by a screen and/or oil whenever waterispresent in the system. The a disc 26 provided with openings 21 through invention is used primarily in combination with which oil leaves. The inside of the piston is a means for removing water from the oil under filled with a. water-expansible material 28. 15 normal circumstances, and is designed to oper- In the operation of the shut-off devices the ate when such device becomes inoperative. water-expansible material becomes wet with wa- However, it is also adapted to be used without ter and expands, thereby becoming impervious other means for the removal of water, particuto the passage of oil. Preferably, the material larly in combination with the better grade fuels employed is gelatin, with which may be mixed 20 and under conditions where water is not likely a minor percentage of a hygroscopic agent, such to get into the fuel. as calcium chloride. Other water-expansible The invention is illustrated in the drawing, mediums maybeemployed, however. In the case in whichof gelatin, it is preferred that a substantial depth Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a device embodythereof be used so that when the device s closes 25 ing shut-oil means; Fig. 2 is a. cross section of there will be dry gelatin still present. Normally, said device along the line 2-4; Fig. 3 is a lona three-inch depth of material for a cylinder gitudinal section of a modified form of device; one and one-half inches in diameter is sufficient. Fig. 4 is a cross section'of Fig. 3 along the line Granular gelatin is preferably employed. 30 M; and Fig. 5 is a longitudinal 'section of a In the devices hown in Figs. 1 and 3, the gei- 30 further modification. atin expands and compresses the gelatin to a As illustrated, the shut-off device comprises point where it will not pass oil. In Fig. 5 the a housing Ill, preferably cylindrical in form, expansion of the water-expansible material raises provided with a cap H seated upon a gasket l2 the piston 23 and thereby closes the oil inlet 2|.

Y and removably connected to the housing, for The device shown in Fig. 5 may be balanced by 35 example, by threading. A second cap ll is admitting the oil centrally to a divided piston similarly secured to the other end of the housand closing the exits, or by admitting from a ing. The interior of the housing is loosely filled pair of entrances and withdrawing from a cenwith a water-expansible material. This matetral exit, thereby providing a balanced valve 49 rial should be one which is not so affected by action. oil, or at least which is expansible by water, even In combination with a filter in an internal after being wet with oil. Screens ii are procombustion system, such as a Diesel engine, the vided, as indicated in Fig. 1, to hold the material shut-ofi device has no function except to pass in place, or a. single screen may be used, as the oil until water begins to pass through the 5 shown in Fig. 3. The screens in Fig. 1 are held .fllter, or in the absence of a filter, until wet oil 5 in place by the spring members it. The device is introduced into the system. The water is then shown in Fig. 1 is greatly preferred, particularly absorbed by the shut-off device until it will pass for systems in which large fluid pressures are no more oil, at which time the engine ceases to employed. The oil is .admitted to the shut-off function. The shut-ofl device is then removed device through the line l3, passes through the and replaced, or the material therein may be 50 material it, through which the oil passes readreplenished. v

ily, and passes out through the other screen 15 The foregoing detailed description has been and the opening II. In Fig, 3, the oil enters given for clearness of understanding only and through i3 and passes outthrough ll. The no unnecessary limitations should be understood screen in this instance is a close mesh silken therefrom, but the appended claims should be 55 an oil fuel line, a valve in the fuel line including a water-expansible, water-absorptive medium through which the oil fuel passes and by which the valve is actuated to stop the flow of oil therethrough. a

3. In an internal combustion system comprising an internal combustion engine provided with an 011 fuel line, and having an oil filter in said line adapted to remove water from the oil, a valve in the fuel line including a water-expansible, water-absorptive medium through which the oil fuel passes and by which the valve is actuated to stop the flow of oil therethrough.

4. A fuel oil shut-ofivalve comprising a housing, means for admitting oil to and removing oil from the housing, and a body of gelatine within the housing through which the oil passes, the depth of the material being adapted completely to shut ofi the fiow of oil therethrough when moistened. v

5. A shut-01f as set forth in claim 4, in which a minor proportion of a more hygroscopic agent is included with the gelatine.

6. A valve as set forth in claim 1 in which the valve is shut off solely by the resistance of me moistened water expansible medium.

'7. An oil shut-ofi valve comprising a housing, means for admitting oil to and removing oil from the housing, a water expansible medium in the housing through which the oil passes, and means including a movable member actuated by movement of the expanslble medium for controlling the flow of oil therethrough.

JAMES E. HURN. 

